MOMOIRS: Grandparent weekend gives this mom time to reflect

I have incredibly fond memories from my youth of spending the weekend, or the week, at my grandparent’s house. One time in particular comes to mind when we were living in Cedar City and my grandparents were in St. George.

My grandma enrolled me and my sister in a sewing class for a week during the summer, which meant we got to stay with my grandparents all week. It was sewing in the morning and swimming in their condominium pool every afternoon, all the while being doted on by our loving grandparents. It was heavenly.

So when my parents asked if my daughter, Lydia, could stay a couple of extra days with them following our family Fourth of July celebration, I knew she would have a wonderful time. What I didn’t realize was how different I would feel not having her at home.

This is not the first time I have been away from my daughter. My husband and I have been fortunate to escape at least annually for a kid-less night or two, usually for our anniversary. The oddity in this recent scenario was that instead of dropping the kids off with my parents and heading out on our own adventure, we left Lydia in Cedar and returned home with my son, Connor, to lead a somewhat normal weekend, only one child short.

It was eerily quiet and a little bit lonely.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved having more one-on-one time with Connor. It was especially fortuitous since he wasn’t feeling well and he just wanted to be held. I was able to rock and cuddle him for hours, for once not feeling pulled in opposite directions by my kids. Still, I kept expecting to hear Lydia calling my name from the other room, or see her rushing in to give Connor a hug.

It’s also amazing how much I’ve come to rely on her. My husband and I joked about the fact that we had to pick up more of Connor’s toys — a task we often have Lydia assist with — and it has been a while since I set the table for dinner myself. That’s one of her chores too.

During her two-day absence we checked in via Facetime twice, and she was clearly in her element with both grandparents and an aunt wrapped around her finger. As excited as she was to be in the limelight, though, she was anxious to see each member of our family, especially her little brother, and he was delighted to see her as well.

This experience came on the heels of researching a story for the August issue of St. George Magazine about parents who are sending their children off to college, which undoubtedly led to my somewhat pensive mood. I realize this weekend arrangement is hardly comparable to sending your child off for a full year or longer, but it caused me to reflect on the excitement and sadness wrapped up in such a milestone for the parents I interviewed.

After hearing their stories and having a mini version of my own, I realize that no matter how happy you are for the experience your child is having away from you, there’s really nothing that can fill the void their absence creates. Thankfully, I have a few more years before that reality truly hits home.

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